Ranging devices can be used for ranging, i.e. determining the distance of the device from a person, object or scene. The distance is also known as range. In some instances imaging devices, which include cameras, are also capable of ranging. This is why descriptions of a certain types of ranging devices sometimes resemble descriptions of cameras.
Modern imaging devices use pixels to capture images. The pixels divide an input image in elements, and capture values for the elements of the image. These values for the image are captured by various techniques, such as numbers of electrons per pixel after a brief exposure time. The output image is typically constructed from the captured values, whether in color or in black and white.